Total births
153,122
Boys' name · since 1880
Jim
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 153,122 babies named Jim, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4433
- among boys today
- 153,122
- born since 1880
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
153,122 babies have been named Jim since 1880, making it today's #4433 boys' name.
Jim has 153,122 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4433 as of the latest data, more common than 69% of boys, busiest in the 1940s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4433 among boys today
- 153,122 born since 1880
- 1940s peak decade
- 69% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Jim is currently the #4433 boys' name in America, more common than 69% of boys - 153,122 born since 1880, peaking in the 1940s.
- #4433
- among boys today
- 153,122
- born since 1880
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 69%
- more common than other boys
Jim vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4433
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 69% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Jim was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
5,688 babies were named Jim in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
How Jim compares
153,122 Top 2% higher than 98% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Jim's all-time total is 417x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Jim | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 153,122 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 5,688 | 23 | 22,252 |
Jim's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Jim's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 43% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 57%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 2024, with only 23 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 5,688, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Jim at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1959
Current rank
#4,433
Active since
1880
Jim popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1959)
- 5,688
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Jim popularity over time - girls
816 total births recorded since 1888 (Jim as girls' name)
Jim by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Jim's strongest decade.
35,632 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Jim births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 3,520
1880s
3,520 births
- 1890s 2,841
1890s
2,841 births
- 1900s 2,718
1900s
2,718 births
- 1910s 5,764
1910s
5,764 births
- 1920s 10,566
1920s
10,566 births
- 1930s
1930s
20,823 births
- 1940s
1940s
35,632 births
- 1950s
1950s
26,215 births
- 1960s
1960s
33,201 births
- 1970s 6,021
1970s
6,021 births
- 1980s 2,547
1980s
2,547 births
- 1990s 1,607
1990s
1,607 births
- 2000s 962
2000s
962 births
- 2010s 506
2010s
506 births
- 2020s 199
2020s
199 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 35,632 births (23% of all-time use).
How Jim compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Jim's total volume
Jim vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Jim by state
Where Jim concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 19,352 | 12.6% |
| #2 | Texas | | 10,153 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 8,742 | 5.7% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 8,659 | 5.7% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 7,004 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 5,497 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Washington | | 5,352 | 3.5% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 4,705 | 3.1% |
California share of Jim's total US births 12.6%
Even split
19,352 of 153,122 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Jim appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Jim? ▼
Jim has been given to 153,122 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4433 as of the latest data. 5,688 babies were born in 1959, its single highest year.
When was Jim most popular? ▼
Jim was most popular in the 1940s decade with 35,632 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Jim most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Jim are California (19,352 births), Texas (10,153 births), Illinois (8,742 births).
How long has the name Jim been used? ▼
Records for Jim go back to 1880, giving 146 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Jim? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Jimmy, Jimmie, Jimi, Jimmey, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Jim's data
- Jim's decade-level peak was the 1940s (35,632 total births); usage has since declined to 199 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Jims (19,352 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Jim
Nearby Names Like Jim
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Jim
Jimmy Boy
#849 288,737 births
Jimmie Boy
#3395 112,267 births
Jimi Boy
#11121 1,241 births
Jimmey Boy
904 births
Jimie Boy
200 births
Compare Jim side by side: Jim vs Jimmy Jim vs Jimmie Jim vs Jimi
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Jim
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Jim: #4433 Boys' Name - 153,122 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/jim. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Jim draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.